B&W Challenge No. 40 Minimalist Photography

[hmca]

Black and white is a good choice for minimalist photography.  The removal of color can help the photographer pare down his/her work to the most basic elements of composition.  
I have enjoyed looking at a variety of sources in preparation for this month's topic.   While the use of negative space is often employed, I also saw the inclusion of images that I may not have thought
of as "minimalist".  

Check out the work of the photographers featured in this B/W Minimalist magazine.  For a quick look at the award winners check out page 68.

I specifically took these images for this challenge:














Michael Kenna is a photographer who is often associated with minimalist/long exposure photography.  Wanting to include the work of a photographer who was new to me, I chose
  John Kosmopoulos.   I found his blog very interesting.  It is a long read, but if you are interested, well worth the time IMHO.


His Silver Lotus image inspired me to try to produce a similar look with a water lily image that I took this summer.





I hope you have fun with this topic.   I look forward to seeing your images.

[pontiac1940]

Neat subject Helen. Some nice photos in that magazine. 

[hmca]

Thank you, Clive.   Often I am struggling to come up with a topic for this challenge.  However, when a friend (nancy) sent me a link to this article that Tony had shared in the weekly challenge, I immediately knew it would be the topic for my next B/W Challenge.  

I love your snow-covered trees.  You have gotten us off to a perfect start.

[Peterj]

Ceramic bowl from Community Arts Evening

[hmca]

I would like to make some suggestions for you to consider, Pete. If you look at some of the examples in the links above you will notice that the subject is often off center and appears rather small in the frame. Perhaps if your subject was grounded some way.....on a table in a room it might work better for this challenge.  You could also think of how you might use negative space.

[fotofrank]

Leaf on the Road

[hmca]

The placement of your leaf in the frame works well, Frank. I like the way the stem extends toward the bottom edge.

[pontiac1940]

High Level Bridge in Lethbridge, Alberta, 2009. 

[hmca]

Nice one, Clive! Great angle and interesting lighting.

[srmoment]

This is one I did a few months ago.....it's actually harder than you think to simplify an image!

[pontiac1940]

srmoment  Love your swan Pat!
Helen: Thanks. A businessman paid to have the bridge lighted two winters in a row for a few nights each year. It was very neat. Spotlights were placed at the base of each tower.  

The Lethbridge Viaduct, commonly known as the High Level Bridge, was constructed between 1907–1909 at Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada at a cost of $1,334,525.

Length: 1,623.86 m (5,327.6 ft)

Height: 95.7 m (314 ft) above river bed

Materials: 12,400 tons of steel

 

[pontiac1940]

Apple ... lost in space.  

[hmca]

Your swan is a beautiful example, Pat. I like the way the water puddles out in the foreground.

Thanks for providing more info on your bridge image, Clive. Nice use of negative space around your glowing apple.

[jim0004]

I was enjoying the Kansas sky but this windmill got in my way...  



Jim

[tonyw]

I also was a bit surprised at what was considered minimalist in that mag and was on a photo walk today (in perfect weather!) so shot a few that I'll work on. Here's one that was inspired by one of the minimalist pics I saw on line but which I haven't yet found again tp give credit. I guess one could call it a path to nothing! This is a really good theme for B&W. Thanks Helen.



Tony